“It's like this…. Exciting Kait, good for you,” Jennifer says in a casual, disinterested tone. We had been best friends since before high school, but now that we've split up since college, I've seen how unsupportive she really is. I had just finished telling her of the tickets I'd bought for the Melanie Nguyen show, which is much later tonight Imaginative recitals had never been Jennifer's "thing" - as she often so eloquently put it - and so I almost always had to go alone,. it doesn't matter who was playing or singing. I put my hand on the microphone in my cell and let out a little sigh of disappointment: "Yes, I know Melanie Nguyen is not your favorite artist. Do you still think you can do it?" I asked, cheering myself up a little in hopes that she would come and prove that she's still my friend. “I... uh, no, I don't think I can. Alex has this thing she's going to, his parents will be there and he invited me. I really don't want to disappoint them. I'll talk to you later Kait, have fun at the show. You should ask Xavier if he can go. Jennifer says it all in one breath, and before I could get a word out a faint click signaled the end of our conversation. I sighed again, louder this time as I slipped the phone into my pocket, the relieved spirit of friendship falling into a hole in my stomach where it belongs. As I think about it, I run around my apartment, trying to tidy up the already spotless rooms. When I'm sure there's nothing else to clean, I collapse onto the end of the bed and raise my wrist to my face. According to my watch, there are eight hours and thirty-six minutes left until the show. It's been so long since I've had to clean. I sit on the bed and cross my legs, thinking about the last thing Jennifer said, 'yo... half the paper... life. I stand up, bow and walk off stage, probably smiling like a madman. Backstage some people—Melanie's people, I assume—try to stop me but I rush through them to find Xavier. When I do, he wraps his arms around me and spins me around: “You were amazing, Kait. I'm pretty sure you just blew Melanie out of the water! Everyone loves you!” I smile and thank him as we weave through the crowd. He takes me home and I can't help but go on talking about the rush I feel! Xavier tries his best to calm me down, but there's no way! I sang for thousands of people and they loved me! When we reach my apartment, Xavier accompanies me and greets me with a hug. After I finally calm down, I lean against the kitchen table with that crazy smile on my face and think to myself, I just had my own prince and pauper experience.